Kathmandu, March 24:

Journalists face the risk of being detained, attacked, abused or sacked in the present situation of conflict and the King’s direct rulel, media persons said today.

“Writing news on conflict is heroic but it is risky. Either you are threatened by the Maoists or the army, or you can possibly be sacked by your office,” said Hem Bahadur Bista, the MD of Media Services International.

Presenting a paper on challenges on physical and professional safety of journalists in Nepal today, he said journalists are invited to cover Maoist events, for which they have to go to remote areas without any preparation.

“They (the Maoists) harass the reporters if they do not like the reports. On the other hand, they have to run the risk of losing of their jobs, and face the wrath of the RNA and so on and so forth,” he said.

The Maoists make the reporters walk for hours in jungles to listen to their speeches or organise their press meet in unknown places. They treat the journalists as their “comrades” and even give a gun salute to welcome them in the functions. A reporter from Nepal 1 TV channel lost his job because he did a heroic TV coverage of a Maoist attack and also saved the life of a soldier who was about to be shot at. “The man made a history in war-reporting, but unfortunately he not only lost his job but the army publicly denounced him as a traitor,” Bista said.

Five weeks of mental rape

KathmandU: Bha-wana Prasai, a reporter of Majadoor Awaaz Monthly, on Friday narrated a horrifying story of her torture and mental trauma during a five-week-long detention. Prasai said with tears rolling down her cheeks: “Every minute, the security persons and policemen used to come to me in the dark room and threaten to rape me. I used to cry, please shoot me immediately but don’t do that.”

She was detained by plainclothed security men at Maitidevi on February 9, when she was there to report a demonstration by political parties. She was released on March 15 on an SC order. — HNS